


Witch of the Wild Woods

by Autumn_Hughes_Fic



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Adult Dipper Pines, Adult Mabel Pines, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Porn, Alternate Universe - Summer Camp, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Angst, Angst and Porn, Angst with a Happy Ending, College Student Dipper Pines, College Student Mabel Pines, End of the World, Erotic Games, Erotica, F/F, F/M, Gen, Gravity Falls References, M/M, Multi, Mystery Shack, Mystery Twins, Novel, Pansexual Mabel Pines, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Sibling Incest, Summer Romance, Thriller, Witches, pinecest - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2018-12-01
Packaged: 2019-08-14 01:40:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16483661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Autumn_Hughes_Fic/pseuds/Autumn_Hughes_Fic
Summary: Accepting a counselor position at Trillion Pines Youth Camp in Washington State was a grave mistake and now Lane Woods and his adopted sister Luna must use all their cunning, courage, and a little blind luck to survive the experience.Around every corner and behind every pine, Lane and Luna will either solve the conspiracy surrounding the cult dedicated to the Witch of the Wild Woods or lose themselves to the darkness that seeks to engulf their souls and bring the world to an end.





	1. Prologue / Chapter 1

Out of breath, sprinting down a hillside in the dead of night beside his naked sister, Lane Woods considered now would be the last chance to remember better times. He didn't have to reach too far back. Better times were only a few weeks ago. A few weeks ago, Lane couldn't have possibly imagined he'd have to worry about running away from a flock of enraged cultists. While he gasped for air and deftly maneuvered around trees and low branches, a smile may have actually flashed upon his sweat-drenched face. Lane remembered it had been merely days since he didn't have to worry about a great number of things; expressing his true feelings into words, unraveling otherworldly plots, and escaping a summer camp seemingly constructed around all of his deepest fears.

Lane tried hard to remember. He tried almost as hard as he watched his footing in the half-moon lit woods as he fled from the horde of cultists closing in. Just a few weeks ago, May had come to a close. Finals were done with. His sister wasn't being coerced, seduced, and assaulted by a man with unimaginable malice. Lane risked a brief glance at his sister as she raced alongside him down the hillside. Soft moonlight cascaded off her bare golden-brown skin. She glanced back. A subtle grin tugged at her cheek and quickly disappeared. This was as good a time as any to remember better days.

Perhaps this moment would be their last chance to do so.

 

* * *

 

**May 17th - Sunday**

Lane was absolutely incredulous. There he sat, balancing his chair on its two rear legs, feet up on the desktop in his shoebox of a dorm room. Even with the volume of his earbuds turned up to eleven, the screams of Rob Halford couldn't drown out the noises pouring out from his bathroom. Two key factors contributed to the sounds escaping under the lavatory door; first, Lane's roommate had already left for the summer, and second, Lane's sister's roommate was a prude. Not to be insulting, but objectively speaking Casey Longmire was exceptionally prudish. Even if masturbation were a sin, it couldn't have been worth the hours-long lecture Lane's sister, Luna, endured when she'd gotten caught the first time.

So it went, every time since, when Lane's sister could no longer control her insatiable drive, she'd ask to borrow her brother's shower to relieve herself. Even after a year's worth of Luna helping herself in Lane's dorm lavatory, he remained in awe at both the length and volume of Luna's orgasms.

What was surprisingly more perplexing than Luna's moans and screams was how the spring semester had gotten away from Lane. It felt as if January had just arrived. Scrolling through the calendar on his phone, Lane still hadn't made up his mind how to spend the summer. Honestly, It was more a matter of how many excuses could he conjure not to join his girlfriend's family at their lakeside cabin.

Two weeks of, "So, when's the big day?"

Two weeks of, "Have you thought of how to pop the question?"

Two weeks of, "What'll you name our grandchildren?"

Lane could handle the future. What he couldn't handle was someone, anyone, trying to steer him toward a future, not of his own will: that was simply intolerable.

Sadly, Lane failed to fabricate any legitimate excuse not to go. He and Becca had been going steady for almost a year an a half. Well, maybe steady wasn't the best term. Three months in, they'd broken up twice only for Lane to reenlist himself to ride Becca's emotional roller coaster days later. Becca was cunning, with the voice and beauty of a Greek Siren. Concordantly, a relationship with her meant many rough and rocky-waters to navigate. The lake trip in July seemed to be another inevitable and treacherous body of water Lane would have to paddle through to keep the girl he-- what was the word people used?

Started with an 'L'?

He couldn't remember.

He was distracted.

Emerging from the bathroom and stepping through a wall of steam, Luna raised her hands in the air like Freddy Mercury triumphantly concluding a live show. Her face sang of relief. Unlike his sister, Lane's own sex life rarely warranted a round of applause. That was fine by him. Lane was waiting for the right concert, the right bandmate; someone that felt less like an obligatory performance and more like jazz. Conversely, if the wind changed directions, Luna was ready to play anyone who crossed her path.

With Luna's towel wrapped around her chest, she gave a low bow, "Thank you, Rio! You've all been a lovely audience." Still dipped forward, cleavage exposed, Luna looked up to Lane offering a wide smile spread across her face, "Can't believe I've held that in since finals-week began."

Lane unplugged himself from his earbuds, "Five days? That a new record for you?"

As she sauntered up from behind Lane, Luna hopped up on his desk facing him. She slowly crossed her legs. The large beach towel couldn't fully cover Luna's lower half, but her bare ass on his desk was the least of Lane's concerns at the moment.

With a wry grin, "My record is six days, and I hope never to repeat that feat again." Luna studied her brother's worried face. She changed her tone from flirty to a playful amount of concern, "What's wrong, Ursa Major? What's got your stars out of alignment?"

Lane looked up from his calendar and slid the phone forward on his desk in contempt. His gaze worked its way up from Luna's cosmic colored toenails, over her freshly shaven legs, across her warm brown skin, and past the bright pink towel to meet her glistening green eyes. With a sigh, Lane admitted, "There's no way out of this Lake Trip and I hate myself for even feeling like I need to escape from spending time with Becca. She's my girlfriend. I'm the boyfriend. It's part of the job, but it feels... I don't know. It's unsettling to my natural Zen."

Luna furrowed her brow and pretended to stroke her non-existent beard. Miming the removal of a pipe from between her lips, Luna let her subtle French accent escape as she diagnosed the truth of the matter, "It would be seeming to me that the heart of your anxiety lies at feeling a lack of control over your destiny with this woman, no?"

Lane lied, "No. I'm fine. Just need to put it out of my mind. It'll all be fine. Just fine."

Luna uncrossed, and quickly recrossed her legs, "Oye, eyes up here." Placing a gentle hand on Lane's cheek, Luna tilted her brother's head up. They met eye to eye. Unblinking. Raw. Honest. They may not have come from the same mother and father, but when their mental link was attuned, no deception nor lie large or small stood a chance of breaking the bond between Luna and Lane.

With a sigh, Lane admitted, "Every time I want to open up to Becca about every anxiety, fear, and frustration, for the last year I've habitually sacrificed the truth for keeping everything civil. It just builds and builds, and when we finally come face to face I convince myself I'd rather have a nice-argument-free-date than be honest. I can't imagine what I'll turn into if I do that for two weeks straight."

Luna cocked her head sideways, "I see," she purred, "You're a coward."

Lane shot up, knocking his desk chair back, "I am not!"

Luna slid down from the desk and leaned in so they were nose to nose. Lane tried to step back, but the way the desk was positioned a foot away from the head of the bed, he was pinned between his chair and half naked sister. Wearing her wide goofy grin, she asked, "Well what are you then?"

Lane attempted to keep a straight face, "I'm a bear. I'm angry as fuck, and I'm not going to take it anymore!" Reaching out for her waist, Lane tickled his sister below the ribs in the spot where she couldn't help but writhe and laugh. She grabbed his arms. They pulled and laughed and tugged at each other as they'd done a million times before since they were kids. Tension evaporated into the ether. For a moment all the worry in all the world had left Lane.

Then, suddenly, Lane's phone vibrated across the desk.

Instinctively Lane pulled his sister close as if the phone were about to explode.

Blowing her bangs out of her eyes, Luna asked, "Should I duck and cover? Or, perhaps you should simply answer it?"

Maneuvering around his sister, Lane picked up the phone. It was a Washington State number. He tried to recall knowing or having ever met anyone from Washington.

As the phone continued to ring, Lane felt his sister prod him in the side with her finger, "Answer the call, Ursa-Major."

Sliding his finger across the face of the screen, Lane cleared his throat, "Hello?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Luna mocked him in a low tambour, "Hello, totally an adult man speaking?" Lane poked his sister back and turned to hear who was on the other end.

Through the receiver, an excited voice asked, "Lane Guster Woods?

Lane swallowed, "Who's calling, please?"

From the receiver, the tone became even more jubilant, "Jude Abidalli with Trillion Pines Recreation Youth Camp, how are you this morning?"

Looking to his sister, Lane raised an eyebrow and pressed mute to ask, "Trillion Pines Youth Camp?"

Luna's expression exploded with giddy anticipation. She rapidly mimed for him to continue the call and gave Lane two thumbs up.

From the receiver, Lane heard a pleasant, "Hello? Lane? Are you still there, bud?"

Lane toggled off the mute button, "Yeah, how can I help you?"

With a chuckle, the voice from the other end, Jude, explained, "We received your application and were really impressed. We wanted to extend an invitation for you to come up and work with us this summer if you're still interested?"

Lane glared at Luna with equal measure shock and irritation. 'What application?'

Luna waived him on, leaning back against the bed; "Just play along."

Lane hesitantly obliged; "Jake was it? You'll have to excuse me, finals week just ended and my mind is a bit like cake batter at this point. Could you jog my memory; exactly what position do you show I applied for?"

More laughter, but distinctly more annoyed, "It's Jude, actually, and I totally hear you about finals, bud. According to your application, we see that you were interested in a cabin counselor position. Upon further review, however, our resident staff wanted to extend the position of lead youth counselor. We think it'd be a better fit based on your experience and education. What do you think, Lane; up for a summer of wild and crazy fun?"

Lane repeated out loud, "Lead Youth Councilor?"

With a high pitched squeal, Luna grabbed hold of Lane's wrists causing him to drop the phone, "Lead! They want you to be the lead?" She exclaimed bouncing up and down.

Lane broke free from his sister's grip as Luna continued to bounce on her toes. Dropping to his hands and knees, Lane frantically reached under his bed towards the sound of Jude's voice asking, "Lane? You still there, bud? Hello?"

Scrambling to press the phone back up to his ear, he replied, "Yeah. Sorry, I'm just... excited? Remind me again when the start date is and for how long you'd need me?"

Jude dropped the mock-surfer-voice and put on a wrote-customer-service-cadence as he explained the details; "Including a mandatory training week for staff, we'd need you here May Twenty-Second through August First. Pending a background check, proof of valid US identification, and completion of your W-4's you'd be all good to go. As a lead, we're even offering you a little bit more than our volunteer staff."

Lane tried to sound professional as he rolled onto his back, phone still pressed to his ear, "How much is a 'little bit'?"

With another hearty laugh, Jude replied, "We're offering $4.50 an hour, which, I know, isn't a lot, but we're taking care of room, board, and meals. Since days run a little long, you're looking at ten to twelve hour days normally, five days of camp, two days of rest: you play your cards right and all that money you'd be spending elsewhere is going right to the bank. So, what do you say?"

"What do I say?" Lane asked more to himself than to Jude.

Before Lane could answer, Luna had dropped down onto his lap, straddling him, "You say, Yes! Y-E-S. Say yes right now!"

Another cordial laugh from Jude, "That your girlfriend I hear there, Lane?"

Trying to struggle out from under Luna, Lane politely corrected, "Um, no. My Sister."

"Oh, Luna! Tell her we all say, 'Hello'," Jude replied.

"Um, Hello?" Lane repeated quizzically, glaring up into Luna's Cheshire grin.

Luna pinned Lane down by the wrists and leaned into the phone, "Hey, Jude!" She sang a-la The Beatles' tune.

Without any prompting, Jude explained, "We reached out to Luna and hired her on as our lead lifeguard. When we asked if she knew anyone else that'd be interested in working the summer-- well, it seems you've been drafted, huh buddy?"

Lane still struggled under his sister's weight, but less so than before. This could be the opportunity that he needed. This was the opportunity. It was a Hail Mary play, but at last, there were options; spend two weeks sulking on an emotional-rapids trip with Becca, or work an under minimum wage mystery job up in the Washington Woods.

Luna kept whispering, almost as if casting a spell, "Say yes. Yes. Yes. Just say yes."

Lane relaxed his body under his still nude and moderately damp sister. Summoning genuine determination, Lane replied, "Jude, I'd be happy to lend a hand up there with y'all."

More rehearsed laughter followed, "Excellent. We'll send the PDF's of the W-4 and the link to our background check forms to your email on file. If you could fill those out ASAP, we're talking' in the next forty-eight hours, we'll be golden. Don't forget to bring your passport and driver's licenses with you as well. Lane, bud, we're really looking forward to seeing you and your sister up here at Trillion Pines."

Still using his 'professional voice', Lane added, "Same here. Thank you." The line went dead and Lane slid the phone up and away from him. Slowly, he looked back up to his sister. She was grinning like an idiot. Her not-so-innocent eyes fluttering.

Blowing a kiss, Luna chirped, "You're welcome." Grabbing her by the waist, Lane tried to toss her aside. For a five-foot, four-inch lean Parisian by the way of Senegal, Luna was strong. Her thighs kept Lane in place. Her feet wrapping around his ankles. Her hands once again pinned his arms to the worn blue carpet of the dorm room floor, Luna insisted, "And, before you say anything, when was our last adventure anything less than exactly what you needed in your life?"

It didn't take Lane any time at all to consider. She had been absolutely right back then as she was now. He didn't have to spend two weeks torturing himself. In fact, Lane could even enjoy himself for once in what seemed like way too long. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense; "Fine, I'll let you rope me into whatever it is you signed us up for, but this is the last time."

Luna raised her arms up victoriously. That's when Lane seized the moment. In one swift Judo move, he reached forward; simultaneously pushing against his sister, and pulling her ankles back. In the blink of an eye, Lane had Luna pinned to the floor. Prodding her in the ribs with his fingers, Lane mock scolded, "Absolutely the last time you forge my signature and sign me up for a mystery adventure, got it?"

In between fits of laughter, Luna tried to squirm out from under Lane. She was unsuccessful, only managing to undo the fold that had kept her towel in place. As the cotton candy-colored Terry cloth slipped down, exposing her breasts, Luna cried out over her laughter, "Never! More mystery adventures! Can't stop, won't stop."

Just then, another voice, decidedly less excited growled, "What in the actual fuck?"

Both Lane and Luna looked up.

Luna waved and in a cheery voice greeted the visitor, "Hi, Becca! Come on in."

Becca remained in the entrance of the dorm, her feet cemented to the wood-linoleum entryway. Seemingly stepping off from the factory assembly line, Becca was what one would consider stock "California Beautiful;" long strawberry blonde flowing hair, champion volleyball figure with legs that went all the way down to the floor. Right now, Becca's thin ruby lips curled into a scowl as she considered using those powerful legs to stomp on Lane's neck.

Quickly rolling off Luna, Lane stammered, "Becca, we were just-- It's not--"

Lane glanced back down to his Sister. She hadn't bothered to cover herself back up. To anyone else, Luna's perfectly curved 32B breasts, toned body, and honey-brown skin would seem suspect lying half-naked on the floor. It didn't help matters that Lane, with his warm ivory, freckled complexion and sharp red hair looked nothing like his sister.

Desperate to break the tension, the stupid half of Lane's brain attempted to rationalize, 'We're siblings, it doesn't look like what you think it looks like. I'm still really in Lo-' Damn it, what was that word for people who supposedly enjoyed one another's company? 'L' something?

It didn't matter.

Becca had already spun around on her heels and slammed the door. Her heels clacked loudly as she stormed down the dorm hallway. Lane was about to give chase when something, someone, caught the leg of his jeans.

Still lying on her back, Luna yawed, "Guess you don't have to worry about telling Becca you got other plans this summer, huh?"

For a moment, every possible anxiety crashed over Lane. Then he looked down from the door to his Sister's shining emerald eyes. His foot may have been caught, but he wasn't stuck. He had a choice. As quickly and painfully as it had hit him, the wave of fear receded. Lane took a deep breath and lied, "No. I guess not."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lane decides to head up north to the Washington Camp and Luna is compelled to relieve some tension in their jeep. A little more clarity is given to the identity of Uncle Dan and The Twin's past.

May 20th - Wednesday

Coasting down the last steep hill out from the winding highway along the Castaic Mountains, Lane gripped the top of the wheel with his right hand. He adjusted the driver's side mirror with his left. It didn't need to be adjusted. Lane needed something else to focus on besides his sister squirming in the passenger seat. They'd taken Luna's 2006, burnt-umber Jeep Compass Limited. It was one of a kind. One of the first hundred off the assembly line, upgraded to a Trail Rated all-wheel drive and over the years updated to feature all the bells and whistles of the 2011 models; sunroof, remote starter, and leather seats.

Lane could only be considered a casual 'car guy' at best, but he remembered all the adventures Luna had told of what happened on her leather seats. Guys. Girls. Guys and girls. It was a miracle of science the Jeep smelled and looked as clean as it did, considering everything that she claimed had happened inside and out.

Luna moaned softly, "I need to rename my vagina." Her fingers slowly pushed themselves across her leather seat before raking them back along the outside of her bare thighs. She wore a sea-foam green, nylon skirt that rode shorter in the front than the back. As Luna continued to inch her fingertips toward her hips, up came the silky fabric. Lane kept his eyes on the road, the mirrors, the winding golden hills; anything but the black boy-shorts Luna wore underneath her skirt. It wasn't that her underwear was exposed, Lane just couldn't keep his mind from wandering across the constellation patterns that ran over the semi-transparent fabric covering the tight lips of her-- wait, what did Luna just say?

Lane cleared his throat, "Why do you need to rename your vagina? What was its-- sorry, 'her' name in the first place?"

Luna sighed as she continued to run her palms over the outside of her thighs, slowly pushing her fingertips inward and down toward her knees. After exhaling deeply, she pondered her dissatisfaction, "I didn't really name my vagina after a person. The last thing I'd want is a dissociative disorder between me and my vagina. Us girls need to be on the same page." Out of the corner of his eye, Lane glimpsed Luna run her right hand back up to her hip and grip the elastic waistband tightly in her fist.

Lane tried to change the subject, "Speaking of being on the same page, this uncle of yours that works up at the camp; how come I've never heard of him until now?"

Thrusting her hips up into the air, Luna quickly fell back into the leather seat and slid forward. He knew what was coming next. He scanned the road. Perfect timing. A quarter mile up ahead was a rest stop. Flipping on the blinker, Lane eased off the accelerator and drifted toward the exit. He could park and stretch his legs while Luna relieved herself in the Jeep or rest stop bathroom; anywhere out of earshot would be preferable.

Before Lane could exit, Luna reached over and dug her nails into her brother's right thigh. She moaned in protest, "Don't you dare stop."

Gently removing her wrist from his thigh, Lane calmly reasoned, "Look you need to take care of yourself down there and I need to stretch so-"

Luna snapped, "No. I need to feel the speed. Besides, it's been a month since I've let myself go in the Jeep. Keep going. Please." As her breath shortened, Luna started to climb up and over into the back seat. Left leg over first, then the right. Cassiopeia. Orion. Ursa Minor. If his eyes lingered any longer on her black cotton, he'd have run them both off the road.

That typical scrunching of bare feet against leather made its way into Lane's ears as he could imagine the familiar scene of his sister positioning herself into the best angle.

Panting, Luna continued sarcastically, "What bothers me is you boys get all the 'strong' names for your equipment; tool, cock, member. It's unfair. Typical patriarchy BS." The swishing of fabric being pulled across her body was followed by a soft flump as Luna pulled off her tight, rose-colored v-neck and threw the shirt angrily into the passenger seat.

Lane strained to keep his attention on driving. Not watching. Driving. Not crashing. To keep the conversation moving forward, he considered the terms of his genitalia, "Yeah, those are the typical nicknames. They all have a rather utilitarian aspect to them though. Tools are used. Cocks are annoying but necessary. Member is the worst of the bunch; gives the impression that we all belong to some kind of preppy yacht club." In a mock-snobby voice, Lane added, "Oh, I see you've a penis as well? Welcome aboard, you're now a Member of our special club."

Luna chuckled. By this time she'd turned herself over, belly down. In the rearview mirror, Lane noticed her hips rising and falling in time. Her left hand held the door handle in a vice grip. Her right had disappeared under her boy-shorts. In between labored breathing, she continued, "What chauvinist asshole thought it'd be cute to call our womanhood a 'pussy'? I don't--" she broke into an unexpected moan. Catching her breath again, "I don't even like cats."

Taking a deep breath, Lane desperately willed his blood to continue circulating in his brain where it belonged. Arguing in vain, he suggested, "Well, cats are independent creatures. I suppose it's because they don't need constant attention?"

Bucking her hips faster now, Luna cried out in frustration, "Mine does."

Lane stammered, "T-That's, yeah, that's true. 'Pussy' isn't so bad though. Pussy Riot: strong, progressive female rock band. They made the name work for them."

"Nope," Luna said, gasping for air, "Need something--" moaning loudly, "--Stronger!"

Relaxing her body, Luna inhaled deeply and shuttered upon exhaling. After a moments pause and another long sigh, Luna sat back upright. She caught Lane's eyes in the rearview mirror, "I was considering calling mine a dolphin." With a wicked smile, Luna licked the tips of her soaking fingers.

Lane rolled his eyes, "Dolphin? As in, 'You've made it past second base, care to caress my dolphin?"

Luna giggled and lightly punched Lane's arm, "Oh, that's not half bad."

Lane cringed, "No. It is fully awful. It just doesn't feel-- Ride my dolphin, maybe?"

Luna laughed, "That's slightly better."

Drumming on the steering wheel Lane rolled the word around in his mouth. It was a decent pun, but he couldn't take the term seriously enough. As Luna climbed back into the front passenger seat she released another satisfied and pleasant sigh.

Lane turned up the radio; 'Blood' by The Middle East slid into its first chorus. He whistled along before finally admitting, "No. Sorry, but I don't think it works."

Luna pouted, "What? My dolphin works perfectly fine. More than fine: like a dream!"

Lane parried, "I'm sure it does, but the term--"

Still sans v-shirt, Luna crossed her arms under her breasts and began counting her reasons one finger at a time; "Dolphins are powerful, one of few mammals who have sex for fun, smooth, always make you smile... you can't deny that if you saw a dolphin right now it wouldn't make you smile."

Lane released a short, annoyed sigh, "I guess."

More rustling in the seat beside him. He didn't want to look. He wanted to drive. He wanted to occupy his mind with organizing the impulsive adventure he'd volunteered to embark on. The budget for gas, food, lodging; these little mundane elements of control helped keep Lane calm and happy: Zen. Ultimately, he couldn't ignore the sight of Luna's exposed Dolphin in the passenger seat.

Having pivoted in her seat, left leg up on the center console and her right spread to the side, Luna held down the elastic waistband of her panties with her thumbs. With a completely straight expression, she asked, "Are you going to lie to my face and say you won't smile right now when you see this dolphin in all its glory jump out of its cotton tank?"

Luna's lips were parted only slightly, revealing her thin labia-minora. She looked like a tulip ready to bloom, uncontainable. Only a shade lighter than the rest of her cool-brown skin outside of Luna's bikini line, a small patch of dark hair was left unshaven: neatly groomed into an equilateral triangle just above her pussy. Dolphin. Whatever she happened to call it.

Without question, it was indeed glorious.

Lane never had a strong spiritual side. They'd never even gone to church when their parents were still around. Yet, there was something about the artistry, the design of Luna's body that allowed him to consider a Higher Power. It wasn't just a vagina. It wasn't necessarily because it was his sister's vagina, or that it was the first one he'd ever seen. Beyond the physical presence of Luna's womanhood, the idea that someone would even want to share their most private space with Lane was the turn on. Or, more appropriately, 'A' turn on. If was turned on.

He wasn't.

Luna didn't count. She was, in fact, Lane's sister. On the other hand, Lane's eyes kept wandering, following the arrow of pubic hair pointing downward. Each second his eyes lingered, Lane's brain kept snapping him back to the job at hand; 'You're going seventy-five, eighty, eighty-five on the freeway. No, my heart's not pounding. Yours is. Shut up Brain, I'm driving.' Focus. He was driving, but Lane was also undeniably smiling from ear to ear like a loon.

With Lane's attention fully back on the road, Luna pulled her panties back up and readjusted her skirt. Then she stopped. She frowned, "You're right. Dolphin won't do."

Lane scoffed again, "And why is that?"

Luna reclined her seat back. Folding her arms and cupping her breasts, she tilted her head back, "Well, for starters, you can't eat a dolphin."

Lane grinned, "Technically, you can eat a dolphin, it's more a matter of should you?"

Flopping her hands down onto her thighs, Luna sighed, "One should never have to question whether they should want to eat a vagina. Would you like a drink of water? Yes. Do you want to breathe? Yes. Would you like to eat out this delicious vagina? Yes."

Lane considered, "Maybe we're looking at this the wrong way then?"

Luna perked up, "We? Are you fully participating in rechristening my vagina?"

Dismissing Luna's overly dramatized flirtation, Lane's train of thought had already left the station, "It doesn't have to be an animal, right? How 'bout a fruit?"

Drumming on her thighs to the beat of the chorus on the radio, Luna agreed, "I've been known to crave a banana from time to time. Sure. What fruit though?"

Now that there was some semblance of a puzzle behind his sister's ludicrous curiosity, Lane could focus on both the road and vaginas; "What about a peach?"

Luna shook her head. "That's a white-girl vagina. Plus, I don't like the idea of having a big pit in the middle of my--"

Lane jumped in, "Kiwi?"

Luna considered, mouthed the word, and pulled down her panties again to visually compare and contrast. Satisfied, she nodded, "Petite, beautiful, brown, fuzzy but not too hairy. Juicy and sweat. Bro-Bro, I commend you on your choice of vaginal-fruit association. Now..." Spreading her legs up on to the dash, Luna declared in her French accent, "I, Luna Apolloine Woods, re-dub my womanhood... my Kiwi." Pointing two fingers out like a sword she tapped first the right lip, then crossed to her left.

Lane played along, "Rise, Dame Kiwi!"

Thrusting her hips into the air, Luna shouted in French, "Reine Kiwi!"

The passengers of the minivan passing Luna's Jeep starred straight ahead, unfathomably appalled. Lane tried to motion for Luna to lower her hips, but she kept thrusting. As the van finally passed, he noticed the adult in the back seat between the two confused teens while they screamed for an explanation to why their eyes had been abruptly and violently covered. Of one thing Lane was certain; no consolation from anyone in that unfortunate mini-van could have possibly made sense of what was going on in Luna's Jeep.

Speaking of making sense of things, Lane asked once more, "So your uncle, who would technically also be my uncle, who is he and how has he suddenly come into existence?"

Luna rummaged in her messenger bag, "So he's not a real uncle. Obviously."

Lane nodded sarcastically, "Oh, obviously."

Withdrawing a stick of gum, Luna placed the whole stick, wrapper and all on her tongue. Closing her mouth, she mumbled through an explanation, "You've met him before. Remember that medical vendor, Dan, from out Thailand Adventure?"

Lane thought back. That was where it all started. Halfway through his freshman year, they'd taken a detour from life and enlisted in the Peace Corps. Fast-forwarding through all the details, Lane recalled an older gentleman who sold medical equipment. He'd stayed on the compound where they were stationed for weeks at a time during their tenure overseas. Quiet guy. Taller than most. Mustached. That's all Lane could recollect.

With a raised eyebrow, Lane asked for clarity, "I vaguely remember a Dan. How did he come about becoming your-- Our uncle?"

Luna continued to maneuver the stick of gum around in her mouth, "When we came back to The States, I reached out to him to be a reference for my nursing application. Turns out he wrote one hell of a recommendation. So..." Luna stuck out her tongue and removed an origami tinfoil bird and placed it gently on the dashboard, "We've stayed in touch ever since."

Lane nodded, genuinely this time around, "So we have him to thank for our new impromptu adventure into the northwest?"

Luna agreed, "Indeed, Ursa-Major."

Lane raised an imaginary goblet with his right hand, "Well then, a toast to adopted uncles, Queen Kiwi."

Luna extended her imaginary glass forward to clink against Lane's, "To adventure!"

Both brother and sister continued to reminisce about times past and speculate about the mystery adventure ahead. Only another eight hours till they made their first rest stop, and Lane could already smell the pine of Redwood State Park.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arrival at camp on the first leg of their journey in Redwood National Park, Lane, and Luna reveal more of themselves to one another and deepen their friendship. Naked fun ensues.

May 21 - Thursday / Evening

  Half a dozen rough patches of roadside accidents had extended their eleven-hour trip to fourteen, but it would be well worth the wait. Typical for any Southern Californian to complain about traffic, it was damn near impossible to do so considering the view ahead. For the last hour or so, Lane and Luna climbed north on the 101 Freeway along the shore past Eureka. There, looking over the cool blue waters of the West Coast, the sun irradiated their surroundings in a magnificent golden glow. Salty air, fresh pine, and the crashing waves were enough to rid anyone of even the deepest of anxieties.

  Admittedly most of Lane’s anxiety stemmed from the rumors Becca had been spreading about what Lane had supposedly been doing with his sister. The truth was they’d been doing nothing. Absolutely nothing. But, Lane sighed, the speed and staying power of truth was nothing compared to salacious gossip. As the tired sun continued to melt into the ocean, Lane forced the days of worrying about Becca to set as well.

  There were more immediate concerns for Lane to occupy himself with. It would be dark soon. They’d need to make camp. They’d need to cook dinner. After all that, they’d have to haul everything out of the Jeep and cram it into a Wildlife Locker so deer, elk, or bears didn’t harras them in the middle of the night. Of course ‘they’ would likely be Lane unless he woke his sister up. Luna had fallen asleep after driving past San Francisco, lightly snoring in the passenger seat for the last few hours.

  Lane was grateful for the peace and quiet. He needed the time to think, to forget. Becca’s roots still plunged deep in his heart, his mind, and his nerves. It would take time and distance to remove the hold she had on Lane. Fortunately, he’d put in quiet a bit of distance for one day. It was now only a matter of time. But, how long?

\---

  Luna didn’t come around until Lane had set camp and nearly concluded cooking dinner. She rubbed her sleepy jade eyes. She couldn’t see the shore, but judging by the sound of the waves, they must have made camped less than a quarter mile from the ocean. Opening the door, Luna’s bare feet sank into the soft sand. She pushed her toes through the fading warmth of the earth and exhaled in joie de vivre. Prompted by a sudden shiver, Luna walked from their Jeep and gravitated toward the campfire.

  Lane looked up from the grill, “Look who’s awake. How you feeling, Ursa-Minor?” Luna grumbled, “I could have helped set up camp. You should have woke me up.”

  Easing the frying pan back over the fire, he agreed, “I should have, but you looked peaceful. Didn’t want to disturb you.”

  About an arms length away from her brother, she reached out and lightly clasped his shoulder, “Well, you remember how peaceful I was ‘cause I’m going to be awake all night long thanks to that five and a half hour nap you let me take.”

  Lane kept his attention on his cooking; “Great. You can keep watch and make sure we don’t get mauled by wildlife in the middle of the night.”

  A flash of fear sprang up on Luna’s face as her gentle hand resting on Lane’s shoulder turned into a death grip, “What wildlife?” Lane tried to shake her loose, but Luna continued to wrap her limps around her brother like a boa-constrictor. “We talking snakes? There’s no snakes here, right? Lane? Say, ‘no to snakes,’ right now!”

  Lane was about to drop the skillet in the fire, “No snakes. Just bacon wrapped dogs.” Instantly, Luna unwound herself from Lane and took a seat in the nearest canvas chair, “I’m a fan of bacon.” With a huff she added. “Hate snakes. Love bacon.”

  Lane readjusted himself and the grill, “Of course you do. Grab a plate and dig in.”

\---

After they’d eaten their fill, Luna lent her brother a hand in loading anything with even the faintest scent into the Wildlife Locker. Since they were both ten, their mom had taken them up to Yosemite National Park annually. In Curry Village, Lane remembered the tape that played on loop in the visitor center; bears breaking into cars, stealing food, and running off into the night. The last thing Lane wanted to worry about was waking up in the morning to find Yogi had destroyed their Jeep over a stray stick of gum.

  That was a lie. The last thing Lane wanted to ever worry about was Becca. Nearly two years invested in a relationship he was sure would be his last. They may not have been in-- well, that word people used and meant when they said it. That wasn’t them. Similar interests, similar majors, feverish physical chemistry; Becca and Lane were a perfect couple on paper at least. Try as he might however, his will power alone couldn’t create a bond where none was meant to exist.

  Considering the failure of his will, Lane was suddenly struck over the head with a pink fuzzy pillow. Without turning to face his attacker, Lane asked, “Don’t suppose you ever give a second thought about where you went wrong in life?”

  Luna tapped her index finger to her lips, “I imagine that would be difficult for me to do considering I’m always right. So, sorry, can’t say I can help you with your existential crisis, Bro-Bro Cop. How about you turn your brain off instead and come inside?”

  It sounded like a question, but Lane found himself pulled by the wrist and dragged into their tent. Tripping over the entrance flap, Lane tumbled over onto the air-mattress in the center of the tent. Big enough for a family of four, Lane had been willed their mother’s Sussie Sport four-man tent. It was a bit on the heavy side, but it felt like walking into the Tardis; much roomier on the inside than it appeared.

  Luna dove after her brother onto the air mattress. He felt himself bounce up slightly in opposition to her downward force beside him. She was giggling. Wide awake. Not a care in the world as per usual. Lane was envious. What he wouldn’t give to drop all his cares and run into the wild. It seemed the weight of the world wasn’t nearly as burdensome to Luna as it had been to Lane. Even after their parents left them, Luna seemed to shrug it all off as easy as Atlas.

  Another thwack of the pink fuzzy pillow broke Lane’s concentration. Luna righted herself up into a cross legged position in front of Lane. Once again, her loose silk pajama shorts exposed Luna’s cotton boy-shorts riddled with stars. From behind her back, she presented a familiar white box and set it in between herself and Lane.

  With a smile, Lane asked, “Oh, so what you’re saying without saying anything at all is you’d like to taste defeat before you go to sleep?”

  Luna shook her head. Her dark bangs fell down into her face revealing only a mischievous grin curling up at the corner of her cheeks, “I don’t know what this ‘Sleep’ is of which you speak, but you’re not going anywhere until I’ve tasted your surrender.”

  The game within the brick sized white cardboard box was ‘Unstable Unicorns’; an utterly ridiculous card game with the simple goal of collecting your own or stealing unicorns from your opponent. Simple premise. Deviously fun strategy game. Lane reached for the box, but Luna pulled it back. Raising a finger in the air, she blew her bangs out her face and declared, “We shall duel for the highest stakes, as per tradition.”

  Lane raised an eyebrow, “What tradition?”

  Breaking her mock-formal character, Luna leaned forward with a more American Accent, “The tradition we’ll be starting tonight,” leaning back and regaining her regal French Cadence, she continued, “For every unicorn placed in your own stable, or stolen from another player, the opposition must withdraw an article of clothing.”

  Shaking his head, Lane protested, “Luna, honestly I’m really not in the mood for--” WHACK! The pink fuzzy pillow struck again.

  Luna reprimanded her brother, “Lane, we’re on vacation. We’re on a lovely beach, on vacation, hundreds of miles away from your ex-girlfriend. I hereby decree, starting this instant that you are to enjoy yourself and have some stupid, naked fun with your sister. Do I make myself perfectly clear?”

  Lane was about to object, but as Luna readied the pink pillow for another attack, he relented, “Fine, but...” A devious grin appearing upon his face, “Once fully nude, the looser must run into the ocean.” Lane folded his arms and leaned back, as if he’d raised the stakes higher than Luna could match them.

  Unsurprisingly, Luna easily cleared the bar with a dismissive, “Fine. You deal lest there be any whining about a rigging deck.”

  Removing the cards from the box, Lane grumbled, “But you DO rig the deck.” Luna smiled. Of course she rigged the deck.

\---

  Both Luna and Lane huddled under their sleeping bags. The score was tied, six to six. It was match point. Lane occasionally shivered in his boxer briefs, but ignored the cold. He desperately studied his sister’s hand. Even reduced to her constellation covered boy-shorts Luna was steady as a rock. Lane could physically see goosebumps covering her bare brown skin, but her concentration was unbreakable.

  Luna delicately drew her card. Her eyes and face gave nothing away as to what was coming next. Without another word, Luna neatly laid down the cards in her hand face down. Cupping her breasts, Luna gently massaged warmth back into her chest as she calmly offered, “I’m all set. Your turn.”

  Lane grimaced, “You’re not going to make a move?” He was too far into the game to be distracted by Luna’s nimble but callused hands caressing herself. What was her play?

  Luna shrugged.

  Lane thumbed over his cards. Nothing in his hand could immediately win him the game. Carefully, Lane drew from the deck. His eyes watched for any change in Luna’s expression. Her round strawberry lips never quivered. Nothing gave away what trick was hidden up her sleeves despite not having sleeves, nor anything else for that matter. Almost completely nude, one point away from victory and Luna was as stoic a sphinx.

  “Well?” Luna spoke slowly, almost in a whisper. Her lips articulating and tongue moving just so to be both demeaning and unsettlingly seductive.

  Lane scanned his card. It wasn’t helpful, but, maybe if he were lucky... of course. He placed the card down on the air-mattress, Lane scoffed, “I’ll play ‘Tiny Stable’, you’re stable is now reduced to three unicorns--”

  Luna smirked. “No. No wait! I take it back!”

  Luna shook her head, “Nope. No take backs. I will play my “Neigh, Bitch!” card. You can go ahead and remove that trash ‘Downgrade Card” from my stable. Thanks.” Luna quickly drew her card from the deck, laughed maniacally, and froze. Superior poker face. Slapping the “Queen Bee Unicorn” in her stable, Luna threw off her sleeping bag and shouted triumphantly, “The game is mine, along with your boxers. Hand ‘em over.”

  With a low growl, Lane stood to his feet and extended his hand, “Good game. I still think you’re a cheat, somehow, but good game.”

  Luna shook her brothers hand, nodded, and dropped to her knees. In one swift motion she pulled down her brother’s boxer shorts. Caught off guard, Lane instinctively reached down to pull up his briefs. With a calculated push, Luna shover her brother backwards onto the air mattress. Still holding on to his boxers, Luna was able to swiftly tug them clear from under Lane’s ankles.

  Rising to her feet, Luna casually tossed the briefs over her shoulder. She watched as Lane covered himself back up with the sleeping bag. Rolling her eyes, Luna insisted, “A bet is a bet. You’re going for a swim before you’re going to sleep.”

  Lane huffed, “Fine! At least throw me a towel before we get out there.” Luna folded her arms, “You’ll get your towel after you get wet and naked.”

  Trying to remain calm, Lane attempted to reason, “Luna, I’m not walking from the tent to the ocean in the buff. It’s freezing out there. Just hand me a towel.”

  Extending her hand out to Lane, Luna persisted, “It’s only sixty degrees, wimp. Besides, you’ll be running your ass out to the ocean. Now stand up. I want to see you.”

  Those last words caught lane off guard. They were softer, sincere. Sweet. Luna wanted to see him. He was wanted. Before the words could sink in however, Lane shook them off. He may have been defeated, but he would maintain his honor. Accepting her hand, Lane allowed Luna to pull him up from the air mattress. Fully exposed, face to face with his sister, Lane shifted his weight unsure how to stand.

  Luna looked him over and raised an eyebrow, “Well? Get going!” Lane hesitated, but his sister assured him, “I’ll be right behind you.” She gave Lane a soft slap on the ass.

  Screaming inside, Lane bounded over the tent flap and sprinted full tilt toward the sound of the waves. His bare feet pounded the sand. Ocean air filled his lungs. As his eyes adjusted to the starlit sky, with only a sliver of moon over the peaceful waters, Lane ran. Naked in the dark, Lane’s feet plodded over and eventually sank into wet sand until a sudden jolt of frigid water sent a shock through his body. Lane didn’t turn back.

  Arms out front, Lane dove head first into the cool depths. He’d never been skinny dipping before. To be nude and fully engulfed in water was intoxicating: liberating.

  Pushing off from the bottom, Lane broke the surface and gasped for air. He waded back to shore until he stood about waist deep. Adrenaline sustained him, kept him warm, but Lane knew it wouldn’t last forever. In this moment, stripped of everything that had held him back, he looked out upon the water and could no longer feel the anchor of his past or even immediate relationship holding him down. He was Zen.

  Just as quickly as the moment came, another wave reminded Lane how unbearably cold the ocean was this far north. Over the crashing waves onto shore, he could also hear a sharp whistle.

  Luna stood just at the edge of where the water met the land, holding open a towel. She spoke up over the surf, “I’m satisfied with your defeat. Now get out of there before you catch your death of cold.”

  Hurriedly, Lane waded through the water and into Luna’s open arms and waiting towel. His sister wrapped the fuzzy terrycloth around him, folding Lane in her arms. There they remained, bare, under the stars in each others grasp. They embraced each other and the peacefulness of the beach. Luna whispered; “Come. it’s past time we slept."


	4. May 22 - Friday / Afternoon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lane and Luna make a pit stop in Portland only to encounter another strange creature and another unsuspecting mark for them to seduce.

May 22 - Friday

    Luna tapped her purple fingernail on the passenger window, "There's a spot over there by the half-naked homeless guy with the wolf pup under his arm."

    Lane inched his way south down Harvey Milk Street, scanning for the spot; "Homeless, wolf cub-- Oh, there. How could I miss the half-naked guy?" Backing into the parking space, Lane checked his distance to the curb and killed the engine to their Jeep. After another six and a half hours they'd finally rolled up into Portland, Oregon a little after one in the afternoon. They were both famished but still waited for the ragged man with the well-loved stuffed animal to pass before stepping out of the Jeep.

    Luna jogged ahead towards Boxer Ramen. She held the door open for Lane as he entered. Steam from the fresh noodle broth, dozens of spices and the scent of fresh seared pork flooded his senses. He was salivating by the time they approached the counter to order. This meal would put them over budget and it would be well worth it.

    They grabbed two empty seats at the end of the bar, received their drinks, and watched as their noodles and pork were prepared in the Wok. Under the chatter of other patrons, pops of steam and flame from the frying pans, and chefs shouting orders, Lane leaned into his sister's ear; "You were pretty quiet on the way up here. Everything okay upstairs?"

    Luna raised an eyebrow, "Well," She turned and looked down at her placemat and slowly started to tear away a loose strand of bamboo, "About last night..."

    Something inside Lane's stomach twisted into knots, "Before you say anything, I wanted to apologize first." He tried to meet Luna's eyes, but her focus was fixed on pulling apart her placemat. Lane continued, "Maybe we need to redraw our boundaries?"

    Still absentmindedly unraveling the strands of loose bamboo, Luna placed her left hand on Lane's thigh. Tracing figure-eights over his jeans, she assured Lane, "It's not that. You're right where I want you. As always."

    Lane took Luna's hand in his, drawing her attention back into his eyes. He clarified, "Regardless, we definitely need to talk about last night. What else is on your mind?"  
Before Luna could speak, the server dropped off their pork bowls. They thanked the waiter for the food and dug in. Lane forked the seared pork slices first and downed them in four bites. While he got to work on the noodles, Lane kept his eyes on his sister.

    Swallowing a mouth full of noodles herself, Luna asked, "Did you see anything while we were walking back to the tent?" Her eyes remained fixed on her nearly empty bowl.

    Lane thought back to the night before. He remembered wading out from the ocean. He remembered shivering in Luna's arms and beach towel. Shortly afterward, they'd swiftly made their way back across the starlit beach to the tent. Just before they dove in through the flap, Lane recalled Luna had paused for a moment. Her eyes had shifted suddenly from playful to wide with fear. The moment didn't last long. Before Lane voiced any concern, Luna had pushed her brother backward onto the air mattress where they quickly fell asleep wrapped up in their sleeping bags, their giant comforter, and their sandy naked bodies.

    Shaking his head, Lane apologized, "Might've seen something, but I got distracted."

    Luna swallowed her pork strips, "You didn't see it then, did you?"

    Lane searched his sister's eyes; "What did you see?" He took notice of Luna using her chopsticks to trace something on the paper on top of the bamboo placemat. Reaching into his messenger bag, Lane withdrew a pen and handed it over to Luna in exchange for her utensils. He watched and listened as she sketched and explained what had unnerved her.

    Luna's voice slipped back to her native French accent whenever she was particularly stressed, or fearful; as it was now when she spoke; "Sitting less than twenty feet from our tent was a panther. At first glance, I thought it was a mountain lion, but I've seen both often enough to know the differences between the two. I was certain it must have been a mountain lion, or bobcat, or something... real. If it weren't really there, I wouldn't have felt that deathly chill."

    Lane studied the remarkably realistic sketch; "So, you did see something, but you're questioning whether it was actually real or not. What about the creature made you question its legitimacy?"

    Luna's hand and voice trembled slightly, "It was watching us. Not like we caught it's attention while it was prowling for scraps; it was waiting, watching. It saw through me."

    He nodded along and risked further clarification, "Anything other than it's behavior that seemed unusual to you?"

    Luna set the pen down in front of Lane and studied her work, "It was black. Not black fur, but black like ink or soot cascading off its body. The campsite was dark, but whatever I was looking seemed darker; heavy black on a black background. And its eyes were glowing white. As the black fur, those burning whites of its eyes melted out of their sockets, off its body like dry ice pooling into the sand."

    Gently sliding the paper placemat closer to him, Lane examined the picture that matched Luna's description. There was something familiar to the dry ice effect of the panther's eyes and fur. Something recent. Like a slap from the back of the head, it came to Lane, "The wolf cub!" The same spark jolted in Luna's eyes as Lane continued, "At first glance, I thought it was just dirt or smoke, but now that I'm thinking about it the homeless man's stuffed wolf pup looked eerily similar."

    Luna whispered, "You believe me?"

    Lane squeezed his sister's hand, "I always believe you, Ursa Minor. The real question is whether you believe you, and what it means if you do?" Luna blinked. Lane tried to paraphrase; "Two incidents without any tangible evidence still only qualifies as a coincidence at best. It's creepy as shit, but there's not enough meat to draw any correlation between why we've seen what we saw."

    She bit her lower lip, and Luna reassessed the known variables, "We know it's something to do with questionably tangible animals coated in darkness. None of that seems like a good omen."

    Lane squeezed Luna's hand before grabbing the sketch and folding it up, "You're probably right. So, we keep our eyes open and do our research; hopefully, we don't get blindsided if, whatever this is, happens again. That okay?"

    A half smile pulled at the corner of Luna's mouth, "I guess that's the best we can do. For now." Taking a healthy swig of her tea, Luna's smile grew wider, "Speaking of keeping our eyes open..." Luna gestured toward the entrance with a wave of her hand.

    Leaning up against the wall, a tall woman with electric blue hair texted on her phone. She was about college-age, athletic, and hair that curled into ringlets like a picturesque sculpture of Aphrodite. Thick rimmed, black glasses framed her pale face. Luna sized up the girl from her worn sandals up her legs, past her torn black jean skirt, and loose fitting tank-top with the sides slit down to the waist. Between the lack of sleeves and white cotton pressed against her chest, it was obvious she'd forgone a bra.

    Lane withdrew his fixation on this woman's perfectly sculpted chest and returned to the Luna. She, however, was still fixated and mouth salivating. Luna licked her lips and closed her mouth before asking, "Did you want to try first?"

    Lane shook his head, "I'm alright, thanks. My mind is more thirsty for the mystery we've stumbled upon. You may proceed if you--"

    Before Lane concluded, Luna had leaped up from her seat and stalked up to her latest prey. He watched his sister as she combed a hand through her short pixie cut. Luna also wore a similar cotton rose-dyed twist tank as the blonde girl. Lane continued to watch Luna's hips sway as she approached. It was odd that Luna's jeans fell as low as they did around her waist. Loose skirts or skin-tight jeans; that was the norm. Seconds later, it became clear to Lane that Luna had actually worn a pair of his faded blue jeans since this morning.

    Their interaction was brief. A quip. A smile. A shared laugh. A well-timed touch along the arm. Moments later, Luna was leading the bohemian Greek-Goddess gently by the palm towards the restrooms. Per tradition, Luna gave lane a wink as she passed.

    Lane sipped his tea.

    He wondered if he'd hear his sister over the ambient noise of the restaurant. He wondered if she ever cared about her volume. Probably not. It was her way. Luna's passion took precedence over politeness or patience. Having already lived a life of waiting and confinement, Luna had no shame drinking down every last drop of freedom from whoever happened to be available.

    To this end, Lane nearly spat out his tea when Luna returned from the restroom alone moments later. He was going to quip about underperformance, but the mortified look on Luna's face tempered Lane's jest.

    Placing a gentle hand on his sister's back, Lane offered, "Not the one for you?"

    With an exhausted sigh, Luna let her head fall onto the table, "No. Mother Nature came calling early this month. The Bitch."


End file.
